Empire
by 1 Crazy Brunette Goddess
Summary: Elizabeth "Ellie" Carmichael and Stu Bennett were the perfect couple. It seemed like their futures were bright. However, Stu let her go and Ellie has been wondering why ever since. When these two do meet each other face-to-face, will they realize what they let go was what they needed all along? Wade BarrettxOC. One-shot request from LegitElizabethWWEFan.


**_Empire_**

**_One you claim your territory, you got to make it your empire…_**

* * *

_Take off all of your skin  
I'm brave when you are free..._

Elizabeth Carmichael learned that lesson the difficult way a few years back. She played things too safe when it came to the WWE Divas Championship. One minute, she was on top of the world. The next, there was a Diva better than her that knocked her off her pedestal and took over the "empire" that she worked so hard in forming. How did she let it slip away from her? Still was such an unanswerable question to her.

Not the Divas Championship, but _Stu Bennett_?

Wade Barrett is what most people are familiar with. The English man with the bull hammer that can knock any wrestler he comes into contact with asleep. How did she let him slip away? At one point in her life, it seemed like Stu and Elizabeth—most people called her "Ellie" were going to settle down. Let's just say, plans changed. Ellie and Stu began to change. They grew apart. Both were no longer the person that the other fell in love with. However, they loved each other. Stu loved her, but he pushed her away. It was an odd thing for him to do. There was a saying that went:

If you love someone, set them free.

_Shake off all of your sins_  
_ And give them to me..._

Stu did that. Even though he has hated himself ever since. His past was too painful that he didn't want Ellie to accept him for it. However, she loved him not matter what. She was loving and accepting of him. He thought that she should have been sacred of the things that he done in England. The fights that he would get in. The men that he would have to make bleed for a little amount of money. She should have been angry because of that. She wasn't angry and he hated that.

So, he pushed her away.

Ever since that, she has been wondering what she did wrong. She was loving and caring. However, they began changing in front of each other's eyes. Their true colors began to unfold. Stu knew that if they needed to end things. His past being exposed seemed to be the final draw. It seemed like Ellie was sincere and serious about loving and accepting of him, but still, that was not enough to save the relationship.

Looking at the window, rain droppings began to fall from the sky. Her very natural purple eyes focused on the droppings falling on the glass of her window. To remind her more of Stu, the WWE had a tour in England that she could not back away from. She was one of the Divas that she was mentioned for the tour and knew that she could not disappoint the fans. They meant the world to her.

"Alright dear, we're at the arena. Watch your step. It looks quite slippery to walk out there." the cab driver warned her, staring at a short woman with long, wavy short chocolate brown hair and very gorgeous purple eyes that could not be natural. I mean, it wasn't normal to have those type of eyes, but with her, it looked like they were very natural.

Ellie's purple eyes peered at the raining outside world. She looked throughout her destination and she was in fact, at the arena. She looked back at the cab driver, "Yes, in fact, I am at the arena. Thank you very much. How much for the ride from the hotel to the arena?" she asked him, wanting to give him the right amount of money.

"Just a twenty will do."

As soon as she gave him the twenty, she went outside and went to the trunk that was already opened. She picked up her luggage and began to roll with it to the arena. She heard the commotion of the fans outside, shouting her name and cheering for her. Ellie made sure the sign a few autographs and take a few photos, before having the security escort her inside the arena.

* * *

Meanwhile, Stu Bennett was already inside the arena getting ready for his segment later tonight on Smackdown. He felt like his career was finally taking off with the success of the "Bad News Barrett" shtick that he was having fun with. Last week, he won the tournament finals to face Big E for the Intercontinental Championship. Finally, he felt like he found something that will put him over with the fans. A few years ago, he was offered a brass ring and the one thing that he regrets about was not running for it. There was a point where he believed that he was going to be WWE Champion. Plans changed and his career fell down hill after that. All of that made him take his anger out on Ellie. When she assured him that she was going to stick by him, he told her about his past. She assured him nice more that she was going to stick by his side. Stu didn't want to waste her time, so he let her go. Man, did he regret the decision?

_Close up, let me back in_  
_ I wanna be yours, wanna be your hero_  
_ And my heart beats..._

The "empire" that these two could have made with each other. It always crossed his mind, when he had some reminder of Ellie. It could be her entrance theme and it would trigger something on his mind. It would trigger the good times that these two always had with each other. Oh, how he hated to let her go. But, she was over there. His eyes directed to her beautiful self. There was a part of him that wanted to smile because she was happy, but why wasn't he happy for her? He should be a lot more encouraging of her happiness, but how come was his unhappiness getting in the way of other's happiness?

Stu couldn't be that guy that she possibly hates. He was a changed man and it didn't take until Ellie leaving for him to realizing that. Somehow, he thanked her for making him see the light, but on the other hand, he hated himself for letting her go. If he wasn't a horrible man, he would still have Ellie with him. Who knew what would become of them? They could have been engaged or married right now. Their futures could have looked bright. Most importantly, their futures would be reunited.

_Like the empires of the world unite  
We are alive.._

Speaking of being united, it seemed like Ellie was finished her conversation with some random person that worked backstage. She was coming his way. Stu began to get nervous. Did he have to make a conversation with her? In Ellie's side of the room, she was thinking the same thing. The way to the Divas Locker Room was through Stu and she knew that she would have to strike up a conversation with him. She was more nervous than he was. They had no idea what was going to hit them both, but they were ready for anything.

"Hey, Stu," Ellie greeted him as she got a good look at him in his suit for the Bad News Barrett segment later in the night. There was no doubt that he looked very handsome tonight. To her, he never failed to impress her, when it come to cleaning up. There was no other person that could clean up, "You look good." she admitted, a smile formed on her face.

_And the stars make love to the universe_  
_ You're my wildfire every single night_  
_ We are alive.._

Stu wiped the sweat away from his hand. This woman was always so breathtaking to him. No matter if she dressed girly or tomboy, she was one-hundred-billion percent gorgeous to him. This woman could be dressed in a sack of potato and she will still be gorgeous to him. It was quite amazing how he was able to keep eye contact with her for more than a minute. Ellie was a mesmerizing woman that could capture the attention of any man that she looks at, "Um thank you, love. Um, you looked ravishing yourself. You always do." Stu complimented her back as she looked down at the red heels that she was wearing right now. Gosh, whenever he complimented her, it sounded so sophisticated and so charming. The way that he smiled at her made her legs turn to Jell-O. She hated how this man made her feel, but yet, she just wanted to be in his arms.

Ellie bit her bottom lip, thinking about where to continue the conversation, "How have things been with you? From what I have been seeing, your career seems to be taking off. I always knew that your career would. You always had a rough path coming to the WWE and I know how much you want to be champion. People finally seeing what I have seen in you is great. I'm proud." her voice got quieter. Her reminders of the times, when she was with Stu flooded her mind.

"Thank you. I've been working really hard since that night..." Stu got as quiet as Ellie, thinking about the night, where he shattered her heart to a million pieces. The same night that left her confused and wondering what she had done wrong. Ellie's emotions were ready to fall right in front of her. Even though this happened a few years ago, it haunted her dreams. She wanted to know what she had done wrong.

"Yeah, that night still hasn't left my mind. Stu, whatever happened to us? What did I do to make you stick with that decision. It came to me out of nowhere. You never gave me a valid reason for shattering my heart to a million pieces." Ellie's purple eyes were looking directly to Stu's blue eyes. How was he going to respond to the questions that she wanted to know? He didn't even know where to begin.

"Ellie, I never wanted to break your heart. I was a different man back then than I am now. I was so overwhelmed about my past getting between our relationship. I thought you would have hated me and wanted to break up because of that past. I thought we were going to break up with each other because of the way we were treating each other, but I didn't know that you would stick by me." Stu explained as tears poured down her face. His past of being a bareknuckle fighter would have been too intense for her.

_I will follow you down wherever you go_  
_ I am, baby, I'm bound to you and do you know?_

"Stu, I will still love you no matter what. I didn't care about your past as a bareknuckle brawler. I didn't care about how many people you have hurt in the past. I knew that you would never hurt me like that. Were we hardass with each other? Yes, a million percent, but Stu, I still haven't been able to get that night out of my mind. I am still in love with you. I don't care what you say, but I am in love with you." Ellie spoke up. She'd rather have Stu not return her feelings rather than him not knowing her feelings at all.

"I still love you too, Elizabeth. That night was harder for me to do than it was for you to take it. I hated what I did to you. You deserve someone that will love all of you. I hope to be that guy to love you. I know, we haven't talked in the longest time and you need to get to the locker room, but..." Stu cupped Ellie's cheeks with his hands and connected with a passionate kiss on her lips. Ellie stood there frozen, not knowing how to respond to the entire thing. However as the kiss progressed, she kissed him back. She missed him way too damn much.

_I'm just gonna raise my head_  
_ And hold you close..._

It was then that the both knew that was not going to be two separate empires. Their two empires were going to form into one because from this day forward, these two were going to stand forward. Not only a rulers...

but as a couple.

* * *

_My first one-shot with Wade Barrett and hopefully, I did him well. This one-shot was for LegitElizabethWWEFan, who owns the OC Ellie. I own nothing in this one-shot. If you want a great Justin Gabriel story, read "Total Anti-Diva" from her! Hopefully, everyone enjoyed reading it. Reviews are appreciated! :)_


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